Coaling tank or hopper.



V. Z. CARACRISTI.

COMING TANK 0R HOPPER, APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2, IBIS- Paten Dec. 4, 1191?.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l- V. Z. CARACRISTI.

COALING TANK 0R HOPPER.

ARPLICAVTION nun JUNE 2, I916.

Patented Dee. 4, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- ATTOHWE V l vInsImUs z; cnnncnrsrr, or BnonxvILLn', new Yon-n.

mastic,

To all 'whom it may concern:

lle it known that l,- Vmemros Z. CARA- mnsrr, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Bronxville, county of Westchester, and Stateof New Yorlnlhave invent-ed certain new. and. useful bllmprovements win Coaling Tanks or Hoppers, ,of which the following is a specification.

i The present invention relates to improvements in coaling tanks or hoppers, and particularly such tanks or-hoppers for feeding pulverized-fuel to the tender of locomotives. Heretofore much diliiculty' has been experienced in feeding such fuel from hoppers because of the tendency of the same to pack in the reduced or contracted portions of the lioppen Also much dust was created during the feedingoperation because of air in the tender, which hindered the feeding and pro-.

duced waste.

' It is an object of the present invention to providexan improved tank which when connected'to the carby the operator and opened for feeding,'will. automatically operate to f ed the fuel in such a manner as to prevent packing. Another object is to provide nieans whereby the dust created will be re timed to the tank.

'll ith these and other objects in view my invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, and will be hereinafter more fully described with reference thereto, and finally pointed out in the claims.

' In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional View of my improved tank showing the same in open position, i v

Fig. 2 is'a top view ofthe same,

' Fig. 3 is a side view thereof,

Fig. 4 is an enlargedsectional view of the feed screw valve and gearing in. closed-position, i I

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional View of the flexible joint, and I Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view of the vent pipe connection. f

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings. v. 1

Referring tothedrawings, and more particularly to Fig. 1 thereof, my improved feed tank comprises a hopper 10, preferably of rectangular shape, closed at its top by a Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. d, 119M,

Application filed June 2, 1916. Serial No. 101,315.

plate 11, and tapering at its lower portion 12 to a relatively small outlet 13, to which is secured a circular valve-seatM by means of a frame 15 fastened to the sides of the hopper by rivets 16, said valve seat being provided with a flange 17 secured to the frame by bolts 18. A tubular extension 14 is secured to the circular valve seat.

The hopper is supported between standards 19 being spaced therefrom by extensions 20 of the front and rear plates of the hopper. Brace beams 21 are provided between the standards 19 upon which an intermediate platform 22 is supported, which surrounds the lower end of the hopper. The top plate 11 is secured to the sides of the hopper by angle irons 23 and angle irons 24 and 25 are provided respectively at the connection of the upper with the lower portion of the hopper and intermediately the lower portion. v

A fuel conveyer 26 is provided on top of the hopper, which feeds fuel thereto from a suitable source of supply through an opening 27 in the top plate, and a walk 28 and handrail 29 is arranged adjacent the same.

'lhe eonveyer may be of any well known form, and preferably of the screw feed type, a bearing 30 being shown in the end thereof for supporting the shaft.

The top plate is reinforced on the under side by longitudinal angle irons 31 and 32, and angle irons 33, 34 and 35, the angle irons 33 and 3- being disposed in spaced relation centrally of the plate, these with the angle irons 31 and 32 taking the form of the letter H.

An A-support 3G is hingedly secured in bearing supports 36, 36 to the top plate above the reinforcing angle iron 35, and a. lever 37 is mounted therein, at the outer end of which is provided a balancing weight 38, preferably adjustable in. the usual manner, a manipulating rod 39 extending from-the end of the lever downwardly to a point within easy reach of the trainmen'. A shaft -10 provided at .its upper end with a swivel yoked head ll secured to the inner end of the lever 37, extends through an opening 42 in the top plate 11, downwardly in the hopper, being mounted intermediately in a stationary bearing 43, secured between angles 44-, 45 fixed to the side of the hopper.

' tion (Fig. 4) the valve closure member rests on the valve seat 14, the helical thread being lowered out of the hopper and into the tubular extension 14*. A bearing 51 is secured to the top plate 11 above the angle irons 33 and 34, and surrounding the shaft 40, and the hub 52 of a horizontally disposed gear 53 is mounted therein, an anti-friction collar 54 being disposed between the hub and the hearing.

The contacting surfaces of the collar and bearing'are cut away at 55, to reduce the friction surface. The gear is connected to the shaft by means of a key 56 engaging a key-way or slot 57 of the shaft, which permits the raising and lowering movement thereof.

The teeth of the gear 53 are beveled and on the under side thereof engage a pinion 58 provided on the end of a shaft 59 mountedin bearings 60, 61 disposed on the top plate 11. The end of shaft 59 projects over the top plate and is provided with a pulley wheel 62 connected by a belt 63 to a motor 64 mounted on the platform 22. This motor is connected by suitable wiring to a rheostat 65, so disposed with relation to the lever 37, that the motor starts upon raising the shaft 40 andopening the valve of the hopper and stops upon lowering of the same. The gearing it will be obvious turns the helical thread 50, feeding the pulverized fuel downwardly. Without such feeding the great weight of the .fuel in the upper portion of the hopper will cause the fuel in the reduced lower end to pack in such manner as to clog the opening and prevent feeding. The lower end of the tubular extension 14 is connected to the feed opening A in the top of the locomotive tender B, by a series of connected pipes 66, 67 and 68, (shown in detail in Fig. 6), slidable on said extension 14 and adapted to be drawn over the same when not in use, by cables 69, 70 passing over suitable tackle blocks 71, and provided at their ends'with balancing weights 72 and 73. The intermediate pipe member 67 is corrugated and flexible, and is connected by rivets to the other members. The lower end of the extension 14 is beveled exteriorly as at 74 and the inner uppersurface of the pipe member 68 is beveled at 75- to preventlodgment of thepulverized fuel. The lower end is alsobeveled as at 76 exteriorly to form a tight connection with the inclined sides of the opening A, and handles 77,78 are provided thereon for facilitating the placing of the end in the opening.

A goose neck pipe 79 provided with a valve 7 9 is secured to the top plate 11, and extends downwardly at one side of the hopper, a hose extension 80 being provided on the lower end thereof. At the lower end of the hose 80 there is secured a connection pipe 81, provided at its end with a flange ring 82 to the outer portion of which is scoured a rubber ring 83 by means of a ring 84. The outer portion of the rubber ring extends beyond the periphery-of the flange 82, and serves to form an air tight connection with the opening C of the locomotive tender. This forms a vent for the air and dust accumulated therein, which is forced from the tenderas it is filled and returned to the hopper. Inasmuch as the top of the tank or hopper 10 is closed by the plate 11, circulation through the return pipe 79, 80 is materially assisted, owing to the suction produced by the downward flow or discharge of coal or the like.

The operation of my improved device is as follows: The locomotive tender is run beneath the coaling station, and the trainman connects the pipe 68 to the opening A by pulling down on the handles thereof, and connects the vent pipe to the opening C.

He thereupon pulls downwardly on the handle of the rod 39, lifting the shaft 40 which in turn opens the valve and brings the threaded end into the lower portion of the hopper. Simultaneously the motor is started and the shaft revolved feeding the fuel downwardly. When the tender is filledthe operating rod is pushed upwardly closing the valve, moving the threaded end into the extension tube 14 and stopping the motor.

The feed pipe and vent tube may then he removed from the openings A and and the proper plugs or closures placed therein.

Vith the use of my improved hopper the pulverized fuel may be handled in a most effective and speedy manner, eliminating dust and waste and enabling the fuel to feed evenly and without danger of packing or clogging.

I have illustrated and described a preferred form of my invention, but it is obvious that changes may be made within the spirit and scope thereof as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In connection with a downwardlytapering hopper and an outlet tube of uniform cross section extending downwardly from the lower end of said hopper, a valve for closing the outlet and movable up and down, and a feed screw extending axially within said tubehnfdmovable" lengthwise in unison with the valve;

2. In eonne'ct'ion'witha hopper and an lengthwise with said valve, said screw being lifted into the hopper by the opening movement of said valve.

3. In connection with a hopper and an outlet tube at the lower end thereof, a valve controlling the connection of said hopper with said tube and arranged to open upwardly into the hopper, a feed screw movable lengthwise in unison with the valve, and arranged on the discharge side thereof, and adapted to be lifted into the hopper by the opening of the valve, and means for rotating said screw, thrown into operation by the opening of said valve.

4. In connection with a hopper having an outlet, a valve controlling said outlet and opening into the hopper, a feed screw held to move lengthwise in unison with said va ve and arranged'on the discharge side thereof so as to be without the hopper when the valve is closed, and within the hopper when the valve is open, and means for rotating said screw, thrown into operation automatically when the valve is opened, and out of operation automatically when the valve is closed.

5. In connection with a hopper and a discharge tube at the lower end thereof, a

closure member controlling the connection of the hopper with said tube, and a screw located on the discharge side of said closure member and connected therewith for longitudinal movement.

6. In connection with a tank, a closure member controlling the tank outlet, a screw connected to move with said member a it shifts from one of its positions to the other, and mean for rotating saidscrew thrown intooperation automatically by the opening of said member, and out of operation automatically by the closing of said member.

7. In connection with a tank, a closure member controlling the tank outlet, a feed screw co-axial with said closure member, a haft extendingthrough the tank, and connecting said member and screw for moving longitudinally in unison, means for shifting said shaft lengthwise to move the closure member to the open position or the closed position, an electric switch controlled by the longitudinal movement of the shaft, and an electric motor for rotating said screw, controlled by said switch in such a manner as to be started when the outlet is opened, and

' to be stopped when the outlet is closed.

8.1Inii onuecti'on with a tank," a closure adjacentjto said member, a shaft connecting llltlllbtl" forthe' tank" outlet, a feed screw said screw and member for moving longi tudinally 11111111$0ll a lever connected with saids liaft to shiftit lengthwise and open or close the leaflet; an, electric switch con-1 trolled by the longitudinal movement of the shaft, and an electric motor for actuating said screw, controlled by said switch.

9. In connection with a tank, a discharge spout adapted for connection with the receptacle to which material is to be transferred from the tank, and a conduit, likewise adapted for connection with such receptacle, extending to the upper portion of the tank.

10. In connection with a tank, having a closed top and an outlet at the bottom, a discharge spout connected with said outlet and adapted for connection with the receptacle to which material is to be transferred from said tank, and a vent pipe, likewise adapted for connection with such receptacle, extending to the upper portion of said tank.

11. In connection with a tank having a closed top and an outlet at the bottom, two flexible pipes the upper ends of which are connected respectively with the outlet and with the upper portion of the tank, while their lower ends are adapted for connection with the receptacle to which material is to be transferred from said tank.

12. In connection with a tank having an outlet at its bottom and an inlet for returned material at its top, a discharge spout connected with said outlet and adapted for connection with the receptacle to which material is to be transferred from the tank, and a vent and return pipe, the lower end of which is adapted for connection with the same receptacle, while itsupper end is connected with said inlet, whereby dust and the like may be returned to the upper portion of said tank through said vent pipe without disturbing the discharge of material from the lower portion of the tank.

13. In connection with a tank having an inlet for returned material and an outlet, a discharge spout connected with said outlet and adapted for connection with the receptacle to which material is to be transferred from the tank, and a vent and return pipe one end of which is adapted for connection with the same receptacle, while its other end is connected with said inlet.

14. In connection with a tank, a discharge spout and a vent and return pipe connected with said tank and provided exteriorly of said tank with means for connecting said spout and pipe with the receptacle to which material is to be transferred from said tank.

15. In connection with a tank having an outlet at the bottom land an inlet for returned material at the top, a discharge spout In testimony, that I claim the foregoing connected with said outlet and adapted for as my invention, I have signed my name in 10 t connection with the receptacle to which mapresence of two subscribing witnesses.

terial is to be transferred from said tank, and a vent and return pipe having one end VIRGINIUS CARACRISTI' adapted for connection with the same recep- Witnesses: tacle and its other end connected with said JOHN C. CHAPPLE, inlet and directed downwardly thereat. C. G. MILLER. 

